Addison’s life felt like being within the middle of a twister, with every thing whipping round her as she clung on for pricey life. She nonetheless didn’t know fairly the way it all occurred, however within the area of 5 days, she went from not having a clue who her father was to being within the passenger seat of Mason’s BMW on the way in which to fulfill him.

Steve Redford. Born in July of 1962. He had a Dennis Quaid smile and type eyes. Apparently he by no means moved away from the tiny New Mexico city the place he grew up, barely greater than an hour from the place she spent the primary eight years of her life. She hadn’t totally wrapped her thoughts round any of that but.

To not point out the cancelled Chile journey, receiving particular remedy from Gabriel as a result of she was fucking one of many companions, and the actual fact they had been driving for thirty-three hours since she was an excessive amount of of a wuss to fly…all that may hold over her head for a long-ass time.

On the finish of the day, although, she couldn’t do that alone, and he or she rattling effectively knew it. If Mason needed to bend over backward to make the celebs align for her, she wouldn’t say no.

She would, nevertheless, do her degree greatest to pay him again. Not essentially for the journey bills—he’d assured her sufficient occasions that the cash had no impact on him in any way, and he or she didn’t have an excessive amount of delight to take the present. However she would positive as fuck discover some technique to make it as much as him and present him the identical degree of kindness he confirmed her.

“You’re being uncharacteristically quiet,” Mason stated, glancing her method earlier than returning his gaze to the highway. “What’s in your thoughts?”

She had a sense he’d give her a spanking if she advised him she nonetheless felt responsible (it will be the third such punishment in 5 days). So she went with the opposite matter weighing on her thoughts as an alternative—the one she hadn’t admitted out loud but.

“Is that this a mistake?”

Although his face confirmed no response, his arms tightened on the steering wheel for a number of seconds.

“Shit, I’m sorry,” she rushed so as to add. “I’m not saying I don’t need to go. I understand how a lot you gave as much as make this occur for me, so please don’t assume I’m not grateful.”

“It’s all proper.” It got here out somewhat too commanding to be thought-about totally soothing. “I’m not mad at you. It’s completely cheap to really feel anxious about this.” When she didn’t reply, he stated, “Inform me what you’re anxious about.”

She thought of that for a second. “I imply, what if he’s an asshole?”

“I believed that’s why we had been driving down there as an alternative of messaging him.”

Mason knew completely effectively that was the rationale, nevertheless it was form of him to level it out in such a well mannered method. She had the choice to disclose herself to relations on-line—an possibility her dad clearly selected when he took his personal ancestry take a look at. If she did that, any blood relations with an account can be notified, and he or she’d have the choice to ship them messages.

The notion fucking terrified her. She refused to succeed in out to an ideal stranger, announce she was his long-lost daughter, and simply hope for the most effective. In order that they did the following smartest thing: stalked the shit out of him on-line.

Google and Fb revealed that Steve Redford owned a bar within the tiny hamlet of Cedar Crest, New Mexico. Which apparently wasn’t even technically a city, however a Census-Designated Place, regardless of the fuck that meant. He was its main bartender and could possibly be discovered there virtually each evening. The plan was to sit down on the bar, act like a vacationing couple, and strike up a dialog. As soon as she knew what he was like, she may determine what to do.

All of which was very a lot irrelevant so far as she was involved. “Effectively yeah, however there are ranges of assholery. What if we get there, and he’s actually the most important douchebag on the face of the planet, and I want I by no means came upon who he was in any respect? Or, like, what if it seems he’s a serial killer, and he tries to homicide us?”

“Statistically, I don’t imagine that’s more likely to occur.” One nook of Mason’s lips twitched. “Although I suppose we are able to’t rule it out totally.”

“Okay, in order that was a foul instance.” She held again her personal smile. “Ugh, effective, no extra worrying. At the very least not till we’re in the identical time zone as him. Within the meantime, we’d as effectively work out tips on how to get pleasure from this little highway journey.” Pulling out her telephone, she started typing right into a Google search. “I’ll work out all of the kitschy vacationer sights alongside our route. I guess we are able to discover the world’s greatest ball of yarn or one thing.”

Addison discovered in that second that Mason St. John gave probably the most vicious side-eye of all time. “For those who a lot as take into consideration that once more, I swear to God, I’ll pull this automotive over and spank you proper on the aspect of the freeway.”

A giggle bubbled up out of her. Oh so tempting, however she determined to be good, at the least for now. Connecting her telephone to the automotive’s Bluetooth, she requested Mason a number of questions on his music preferences, placing on a Spotify playlist as an alternative. At the very least then he wouldn’t discover it bizarre if she didn’t speak.

As a result of in fact, discovering out her dad was a significant twat wasn’t even her greatest fear. She simply couldn’t carry herself to confess the opposite half out loud.

What if he knew about her all alongside and easily needed nothing to do along with her?

CHAPTER 14

Mason

Driving throughout the nation was not on Mason’s bingo card for the yr. But right here he was, twiddling with a plastic keycard at the most effective lodge he may discover in Cleveland, determined to lie down after twelve hours on the highway.

“I’d’ve thought this place was absurdly fancy if I got here right here two months in the past,” Addison stated as they lastly stepped into their suite. “The Manor has ruined me for all different inns.”

Mason set free an amused huff. “I’m sorry that is now not as much as your requirements.”

“Oh, I suppose it’ll do,” she stated, green-blue eyes glowing with pleasure as she surveyed the room.

A big sitting space stood to their proper, with a settee and three chairs in an assortment of grays and whites. They had been organized in a half circle in entrance of an infinite flatscreen TV. To the left, a glossy black eating desk and 6 grey chairs sat beneath a dramatic faux-crystal chandelier. The nook of their king-size mattress was simply seen by {a partially} open door on the far wall.

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